Machine for gathering and topping onions.



y N0.894,675. I PATENT-ED JULY 28,-19o8. A. BrL-UNDY.

`. l -MACHIN FOR. GATHERING'AND TOPPING ONIONS.

'APPLICATION FILED MAY 25,1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l j'f/ ig? i 1 @MCG 49 404/6 47 ,e3 Z9 Mmgm Strunz? 190.994,675. PATENTED JULY 2a, 1999.

- A. E. LUNDY.

MACHINE FOR GTHERING AND TOPPING ONIONS.

' APPLIOATION FILED MAY25.1907.

` No. 894,675. PATENTEDJULYZB, 1908.

A. E. LUNDY.

" MACHINE POR GATHERING AND TOP PING ONIONS. APPLICATION PILLD `MAY 25.1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

i .of the machine.

'ALBERT ELUNDY, OF NEWARK, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR GATHERING AND TOPPING ONIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, 1908.

Application filed May 25, 1,907. Serial No. 375,655.

To alljwhom -it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT'ELUNDY, a

kcitizen of the United States, residing at This invention relates to machines for topping and gathering onions; and it has for its object to provide anim roved machine of this class by the use of w ich onions may be topped, pulled 'or dug from the ground,4

thrown into a row or ridge, and gathered in an efficient, expeditious and` inexpensive manner.

`"With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better-understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of arts'v which will be hereinafter fully described) and particularly pointed out inthe claims.

ln the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form ofthe invention; it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,

but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the invention may be resorted to when desired.`

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top lan view of the same.

is a perspective detail view of one of the shafts or bars carrying the excavating teeth.

Corresponding'parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The improved machine includes an axle 1 su ported upon a pair of transporting whee s 2-2 and having upwardly extending arms or brackets 3-3 supporting a transverse frame bar 4 which extends laterally at one side of the machine for the attachmentof the draftthrough the medium of a whiflietree 5 so that the draft animal will walk at one side The shaft or axle 1 is provided with forwardly extending arms or brackets 6-6 connected at their forward ends with a frame 7, the side members of which are provided with-bearings'for the shaft or axle 8 having earth engaging wheels 9 which are connected for rotation with the Fig. 3is a` longitudinal vertical sectional view. Fig. 4

shaft or axle 8, which latter is revoluble in its bearings. The frame 7 is provided with forwardly extending divergent arms 10 carrying a inger bar 11 having guardiingers 12', and supporting a reciprocatory cutter bar 13 having teeth or cutters 14 which cooperate with the guard iingers 12 in the usual manner to constitute acuttin-g apparatus, the reciprocatory cutter bar is actuated by means of a lever 15 fulcrumed upon the front end of the frame 7 and having at its forward end a slot 16 engaging a pin 17 upon the cutter bar; the rear end of the lever 15 is provided with a pin or roller 18 engaging la serpentine groove 19 formed in a wheel or disk 20 that is mounted upon the revoluble axle 8 so that, as the latter rotates in its bearings, the lever 1,5 will be ra idly vibrated, a reciprocatory movement wi l be imparted to the cutter bar.

The shaft or axle 1 is provided with arms or brackets 21 and 22 supporting respectively the inner and the outer ends of a pair of obliquely disposed rock shafts or bars 23, each of which is rovided with a crank 24 which is connected by a link 25 with an adjusting lever 26 having a stop member 27 engaging asegment rack 28; the adjusting levers 26 may thus be securely retained at .various adjustments, and said levers serve for the purpose of rocking or adjusting the shafts 23 in their bearings. The shafts 23, as hereinbefore stated, are obliquely disposed in the frame of the machine; and the inner ends of said shafts are spaced apart, one in front of the other, and the forward shaft is overlapped by the rear shaft, as will be clearly seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The shafts 23 carry the excavating teeth or diggers `29 which are vertically adjustable in slots or sockets 30 in said shafts, and capable of being secured at various adjustments by means of set screws 31; the teeth or diggers 29 are shaped like ordinary cultivator teeth; they will be so adjusted and supported as to penetrate into the soil to the requisite depth to operate efliciently upon the rows of onions for the purpose of dislodging the latter from the soil 5 after being dislodged and brought to the surface, the onions, owing to the oblique position of the tooth carrying shafts or bars, will be rolled or conve ed toward the center of the machine and will escape laterally through the space between the inner or rear ends of the teeth carrying bars, being nally deposited upon the ground in a row -ering fingers overlap the lower end of the endrthe frame F serve to or ridge, as will be readily understood. By l means of the levers 26, the tooth carrying rock shafts or bars may be tilted or adjusted in their bearings, so as to present the teeth or diggers at any desired inclination with relation to the surface of the soil the depth of penetration into the soil may also be to some extent regulated by thus tilting or adjusting the rock shafts or bars.

The gathering apparatus for the improved machine includes a frame F having transporting wheels 32 mounted for rotation said frame being provided with upwardly extending arms 33 and downwardly extending arms 34, which latter are connected with the arms 33 by braces 35 g the arms 33 at the two sides of the frame are connected by a transverse frame bar 36, which latter is connected with the frame bar 4 by means of links 37, thus coupling the gathering device with the body of the machine. The frame F supports an inclined carrierv trough 38 adjacent to the upper and lower ends of which shafts 39 and 40 are supported for rotation, said shafts serving to support an 1 of the drawings, for the purpose of receiving the onions discharged from the chute 54.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood. 'lhe machine may be readily propelled over the ground by one horse and it may, of course, be proportioned to cut a s fathe of any desired width. The cutting apparatus at the front end of the machine will serve to sever the tops of the onions, and the latter are dislodged from the ground by the teeth or diggers 29 carried by the rock shafts 23, and the onions will be rolled to the center ol' the machine and be left in a row or ridge, to he subsequently engaged by the gathering vlingers 47 through which the onions are` discharged onto the endless carrier 4l whereby they are conveyed to the discharge chute 54. ln passing over the latter, the onions will be screened or sifted and all particles ol' dirt, gravel and the like will be discharged between the Vfingers 55 constituting the bottom of the discharge chute. The onions finally endless carrier 41 of the ordinary or any suitable construction; the shaft 39 is driven from one of the transporting -wheels 32 by means of a twisted belt or band 42 passing over suitable band wheels or pulleys 43 and 44, the former of which is connected for rotation with the transporting wheel 32 while the latter is suitably mounted upon the shaft 39 5 movement in the proper direction will thus be imparted to the endless carrier.

Pivotally connected with the lower end of the arms 34 of the frame F are the side members 45 of a gathering frame G which, in addition to said side members, includes a cross-bar 46 connecting said side members and equipped with a plurality of gathering fingers 47, the forward ends of which are adapted for engagement with the surface of the ground while the rear ends of said gathless carrier 4l. The side members 45 of the gathering frame are provided with earth engaging supporting wheels 48; and the forward end of said gathering frame is capable of vertical adjustment by means of a lever 49 having a crank arm 50 which is connected with said gathering frame by means of a link 51; the adjusting lever 49 being provided with a stop member 52 engaging a segment rack 53 whereby said lever and the parts connected therewith may be retained at various adjustments.

The carrier trough 38 is provided at its upper rear end with a discharge chute 54, the bottom of which is formed of a plurality of spaced fingers 55 g a pair of arms or brackets 56 connected with and formingl a part of support a platform 57 pass into the plate or receptacle supported upon the platform 57 and which, when filled, may be readily removed and an empty one substituted.

Onions have heretofore been usually gathered by hand; an operation involving much labor of strenuous character, By this invention, the operation of topping and gathering the onions may be very quickly and elliciently performed, at a comparatively slight expense for labor.

Having thus fully described the invention what I claim as new is l. In a machine of the character described including cutting mechanism, rock shafts supported in rear thereof, diggers connected adjustably with the rock shafts, and means for tilting the latter and :for securing them in various positions.

2. In a machine of the class described, a wheel supported axle, brackets connected therewith, rock shafts supported in said brackets, and earth engaging teeth adjustably connected with the rock shafts.

3. ln a machine of the character described, a wheel supported axle, brackets connected therewith, rock shafts supported in Isaid brackets with their inner ends spaced apart and one overlapping the other, earth engaging teeth connected adjustably with they rock shafts, and means for tilting the latter and for securing them at various adjustments.

4. In a machine of the character described, a wheel supported axle, a transverse frame bar connected therewith and extended laterally at one end for the attachment of draft, depending brackets connected with the axle, rock shafts supported in said brackets with upon which a plate or receptacle may be placed, as shown at 58 in dotted lines in Fig. l

their inner ends spaced apart and one overlapping the other, earth engaging teeth connected adjustably with the rock shafts, and means for tilting the rock shafts and for securing them at various adjustments.

5. In a machine of the class described, a wheel supported axle, draft means connected therewith, brackets depending from the axle, rook shafts su ported in the -brackets with their inner en s spaced `apart and one overlapping the other, earth engaging teeth connected adjustably with the rock shafts, brackets extending forwardly from the axle, a frame connected with said brackets, cutting apparatus supported by said frame.

6. In a machine ofthe character described,

a wheel supported axle, brackets connected therewith, tooth carrying rock shafts supported in said brackets, a trailing frame having an endless carrier and a discharge chute, and a gathering frame pivotally connected and \ with the trailing frame and having gathering l fin ers overlapping the receiving end o f the en less carrier.

Y 7. In a machine of the character described, a wheel supported axle, tooth carrying rock shafts connected therewith, a'trailing frame having an endless carrier and a discharge chute, a gathering frame pivotally connected with the trailing frame and having gathering fin ers overlappin the receiving end of the en less carrier, an rotary supporting means for the gathering frame.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' ALBERT E. LUNDY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. RANsLEY, EDW. U. QUINN. 

